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Driving alone in the carpool lane in a traditional gas-fueled car will get you a ticket, but driving alone in a hybrid can be your ticket to the fast lane under a transportation bill recently approved by Congress.

The bill grants carpool access in California to hybrids that meet a 45 mile-per-gallon fuel efficiency standard. It is waiting for the Environmental Protection Agency’s opinion on requiring “partial zero emissions” standards.

Sponsors of the bill hope to spur hybrid sales with this incentive in order to reduce both pollution and dependence on foreign oil.

On face value, this piece of legislation seems like a good idea. But a similar incentive in Virginia has many Virgina-to-Washington, D.C., commuters annoyed with the extra toll solo hybrid drivers have put on the carpool lanes.

With California’s already-defunct public transportation system and heavy traffic on the freeways, such unintended consequences as a congested carpool system – leaving the rest of the gas-guzzlers stuck in the parking lot of traffic – could outweigh the benefits of the bill.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who owns a fleet of Hummers, called the transportation bill “a great victory for California.” While both the bill and the statement are nice gestures, there is still a lot of room for growth.

The bill is at least a step in the right direction, but the challenge now is making sure to continue working toward the goals that the bill hopes to help accomplish.

One of the first things that can be done is to offer incentives to car manufacturers who are trying to improve hybrids or find alternatives to the traditional gas-only motor vehicle. Pressure should be put on Detroit-based car manufacturers to strive for cleaner vehicles with higher gas mileage.

Businesses should also be encouraged to invest in hybrid fleets. Imagine ordering a pizza and knowing you helped to save the environment.

Another step should be the tightening of legal loopholes that reward people for buying gas-guzzling machines. One such loophole gives deductions for businesses buying motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 6,000 pounds or more.

Originally the loophole referred to heavy duty pick-up trucks and farm equipment, but with recent super-sizing of SUVs, choices like the Cadillac Escalade and the H2 have qualified under the loophole. Changing such legalities would be a relatively easy way of decreasing pollution and oil dependency.

Critics of the bill also argue that it was weak for not establishing a nationwide policy. However, this doesn’t take into consideration that some cities – Los Angeles being one of them – have more problems with traffic than others. A nation-wide policy is simply not logical.

Instead, local governments should make working toward gas efficiency and clean emissions a priority. They should spearhead efforts and find alternatives that are closer to home.

For now, this federal bill at least signals a new drive in the right direction toward fuel efficiency and eco-friendly policies.